


Close Enough

by mhunter10



Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: F/M, Gen, M/M, Multi, mhunter10
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-02
Updated: 2013-09-02
Packaged: 2017-12-25 10:43:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/952133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mhunter10/pseuds/mhunter10
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ian and Mickey share a snowy moment.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Close Enough

It’s been snowing all day and the ground is covered in almost two feet of the white powder. It’s not freezing out, but it’s cold enough to make passing a cigarette between numb fingers a little difficult. The night sky is clear, though, and all is quiet in the late hours. It’s one of those times when not even a junkie will come out for a fix. Unlike Mickey and Ian, who are addicted to a different kind of drug and are desperate for a high of their own making.

So, they venture out into the blank canvas that was once their city; hats pulled down over ears and scarves wrapped tight around necks. The two don’t talk much at first, content to listen to the dull crunch under their boots. They share a bottle of rum to get a warmth going in the pits of their stomachs, and it soon turns to unsolicited grins and hardy laughs echoing in the alleyways. They keep walking, passing everyday landmarks on familiar streets, all unrecognizable now. As they make their way under train tracks, they stop to melt their names into the path, the liquor still warm leaving them. When they come to a park, they decide to walk through. It’s surrounded by dying trees and the empty play-sets look eerie covered in a sheet of ice. They slowly pass by swings and slides, stopping when they reach an untouched field. The open space taunts them and they eye each other for a beat. Soon, they’re running, racing to nowhere in particular. The wind is biting at their faces and their muscles pump under heavy coats. They’re shouting and laughing like two little kids on a playground, not caring who sees or hears them.

Eventually, Mickey stops to catch his breath, hands on his knees and head down in exhaustion. Ian keeps jogging, but slows when he notices how vulnerable his position is. Without hesitation, he reaches down and gathers a handful of snow, packing it into a quick ball. Just as Mickey is raising up, Ian chucks it and it hits him square in the face; exploding on impact. Before Mickey can even react, he’s off running again, trying to get as far away as possible. Ian hears him scream something like “Gallagher, get your ass back here” in the distance, and actually stops to tease him. It doesn’t take Mickey long to catch up, and soon it’s all out war between them. Ian starts off using some of his training and manages to get three more shots, which only makes Mickey angrier, although the smile on his face says otherwise. He uses Ian’s cockiness against him and lands a few, but this only makes him try harder. They both take advantage of the trees for cover, but not for long.

Ian pretends like he’s surrendering and calls a truce, but when Mickey calls his bluff he makes a run for it. Mickey chases after him, easily getting close enough to tackle him to the ground. They begin wrestling sloppily, out of breath and weak with numb limbs. They’re grunting with determined effort, but giggling like little girls; faces red with cold and screwed up with mixed emotion. They stop rolling around when Mickey ends up pinning Ian under him, a snowball poised in his hand ready to be shoved into the redhead’s face. But he stops and looks at him, his arm still hovering in mid-air. It’s still snowing a little and as Ian looks up at Mickey expectant, the flakes stick to his eyelashes and glisten in the moonlight. They stare at each other a moment longer, their breathing slowing down to little puffs in the air between them. The snowball drops from Mickey’s hand as he rolls off of Ian, landing next to him in the snow. He exhales loudly. Ian lets out a breath he didn’t know he was holding and closes his eyes for a minute. He can feel Mickey’s leg and arm touching his. Their bodies are warm against each others’, as they look up at the sky. Neither boy moves or says anything for a while. The snow continues to fall on and around them and their clothes are soaking wet, but they don’t really care. It’s so quiet, they can hear the flakes hitting the ground. They don’t look or even glance at each other, content just knowing the other is still their.

Mickey breaks the silence saying,”It’s not looking for shooting stars, but it’s close enough.”

And Ian just smiles.


End file.
